Bucks
Rendell Madonna Predictions - Part One
Dear Friends,
Good morning. My late father told me never be afraid to ask a question. The worse thing that can happen is a refusal. I recently attended the Pennsylvania Federation of the American Automobile Association (AAA) meeting in Hershey. I’ve been a volunteer with AAA for years so I always take in the annual meeting.
The June session was especially important because Governor Ed Rendell was attending, as was Terry Madonna, the well-known pollster who makes predictions for every fall election. Terry writes columns for several Pennsylvania metro dailies and his polls usually forecast the winners and losers. His knowledge of local and state politics is legendary, his accuracy nearly flawless.
By the way,
we expect Terry to speak at the Neamand Lecture Series at the Quakertown High
School in October. The public will hear his predictions about the crucial
November election. I say crucial because the governor is facing a serious challenge
and the Santorum/ Casey senate race is a toss up. Even Congressman
Should the Democrats retake control of the federal legislature, you can bet that the impeachment process will begin for President Bush. If the GOP could impeach former President Bill Clinton for sexual impropriety and lies about it, wouldn’t the Democrats respond in like kind? They’ll peg their accusations on abuse of presidential power.
But I stray.
At the end of Rendell’s speech, I caught him at the door. “I have two questions for you, Mr. Governor,” I began. “Will you run for the presidency in 2008?” I expected him to say that he was concentrating on this year’s governor’s election. But he didn’t. He paused thoughtfully for several seconds…which seemed like minutes…and finally replied,
“No.”
Obviously, he’s been thinking about it. Rendell has been the national chairman of the Democratic Party and well known across America. What happens if the Democrats become hopelessly deadlocked in the 2008 primaries? Like the phoenix, former Vice President Al Gore’s star is rising out of the ashes. Thanks to a new film, “An Inconvenient Truth” will attract American audiences this summer. The documentary was a hit at the Cannes Film Festival and deals with global warming, an Al Gore favorite topic.
Senator Hillary Clinton is still the odds on favorite but if she stumbles and the Democrats become stymied, Ed Rendell may have a good chance to win the Democratic nomination.
For the moment, let’s assume that it’s Hillary in 2008. “Would you be her vice Presidential running mate,” I asked?
“They [the Democratic Party] wouldn’t pick two Easterners to head the ticket,” Rendell answered.
Obviously, we’ll have to stay tuned but it’s fun to think about it. I did have time to ask one other question. You faithful readers know that I’ve been advocating reducing the number of local municipalities. Pennsylvania has more than 2,600 of them! New Hope counts as one municipal…so does Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The legislature reduced the 2,600 plus school districts into 501 in the 1950’s. Unfortunately it didn’t get around to reducing the municipalities at the same time. For example, there are 13 school districts in Bucks County…and 54 municipalities. Wouldn’t it make more sense to consolidate them into 13?
So I asked the Governor. “Would you encourage the state legislature to reduce the 2,600 municipalities into 501, just like the school districts?”
This time there was no hesitation.
“Absolutely,” Rendell exclaimed! “But it will take plenty of carrots [not sticks] to convince the municipalities [reducing the number through combinations and consolidations].”
There’s no doubt in my mind that 2,600 municipalities are sitting ducks for developers who’ve been playing the divide and conquer game for decades. It makes little sense for Quakertown Borough, surrounded by Richland Township…or New Hope Borough surrounded by Solebury Township to continue with separate municipal governments.
It’s all about jealousy and little fiefdoms of course. Rendell is right…but it will take the Wisdom of Solomon to get this problem solved.
Sincerely,
Charles Meredith